Governor Eugene Holiday (right) about to lay a wreath at the Border Monument, with Préfet Délégué Serge Gouteyron at left. (John Halley photo).
PHILIPSBURG--Governor Eugene Holiday on Thursday sent a firm message to the population urging them to not allow pessimism to undermine their ability to recover.
He made the remarks during his St. Maarten Day message on November 11. Holiday said to address the current challenges facing the island, “we must do so with a sense of realism and practical idealism.” He said things are difficult and far too many people have lost their lives to, or suffer from COVID-19. Many businesses are financially strapped. Many families continue to struggle due to loss of jobs and/or a reduction in income and government remains cash strapped.
“We must, however, not allow pessimism to undermine our ability to recover. Under no circumstance should we allow our difficulties of today to crowd out our spirit of progress towards a better tomorrow,” Holiday said.
“In confronting the realities of the current crisis, we can or rather, we must instead draw inspiration from our positive experiences with previous challenges. Experiences which have always been characterized by renewal.”
It is particularly important to note, he added, that renewal does not mean that persons must write off the things that made them who and what they are as a people and community. “The new reality we face today, in fact, demands that we must restore the best of that which we had, preserve the best of that which we have, and strengthen them to create a better, more sustainable future. It means that we must protect and preserve our environment, our culture, our characteristics, and our values, which have helped to shape our spirit of progress. I am as such proud of and applaud our frontliners, our doctors, nurses, other healthcare workers, law enforcement officers, other frontline employees and volunteers, who throughout this crisis have exemplified the best of the St. Maarten spirit.”
To triumph in the face of this health, socio-economic, and financial crisis, the governor continued, the island must therefore activate its spirit of progress. “That is, we must move beyond the call of duty. Anchored on our family- centred, community-oriented, hardworking, creative, independent, and hospitable nature and our love for freedom, our spirit of progress has always helped to create the conditions for us to triumph in the face of adversity. It has helped to build social capital, to strengthen human capital, and to grow the economic capital necessary to address the needs of and create opportunity for our people. Our spirit of progress has always propelled our people forward. Thus, as we look to the future on this St. Maarten Day, I am confident that we have the courage and resolve to move beyond duty to triumph and rebuild, transform, and renew our island,” Holiday noted.
He said the island has had its share of adversity and challenges. During the past quarter of a century, the island’s social and economic development have been adversely impacted by various external shocks, such as, the 911 terrorists’ attacks on the US in 2001, and Hurricanes Luis in 1995, Lenny in 1999, and Irma in 2017. It has regrettably also been affected by internal shocks, such as recurrent political discord. “While time does not permit me to expand on these experiences, it suffices to say that we have been knocked down and that we have, at times, even shot ourselves in the foot.”
“During our challenges, there have been those who doubted us and those who even wrote us off, but we have never given up on us. Instead, we have constantly transformed and renewed our community.” He said St. Maarten Day is a day to celebrate the island’s heritage of unity and friendship, to celebrate all things St. Maarten, its past, present and aspirations to always progress. Holiday and his wife Marie-Louise extended St. Maarten Day greetings to all.
